


all the flowers that you gave me

by chininiris



Series: shuann week 2020 [7]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, F/M, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Language of Flowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23614669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chininiris/pseuds/chininiris
Summary: day 7: free dayIt starts with a simple white flower waiting for him in his room in the Metaverse. Ren’s knowledge of flowers and plants is scarce at best, but the flower strikes him as something similar to a rose, its white petals curling and opening outwards from the yellowed middle.The flower in question lies innocently on his bed, a sharp contrast to his black sheets and overall dark decor. No one ever really comes into his room, so to think that someone strode inside just to drop this off amuses him a little.Ren looks around his room, just to be sure that no one is hiding behind a curtain or under his bed to prank him. As suspected, he’s alone.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Takamaki Ann, Persona 5 Protagonist/Takamaki Ann
Series: shuann week 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693129
Comments: 1
Kudos: 33
Collections: Shuann Week 2020





	all the flowers that you gave me

**Author's Note:**

> Here we are, the last day. I wish we could go back and enjoy it all over again from the start, but we'll have more of these in the future. Thank you for taking the time to read these entries! It's been fun!
> 
> This one is the first prompt I wrote for the week, and it's my favorite out of them all. The idea of putting shuann in a Hades/Persephone setting was too appealing for me to pass up. It was inspired by [this dimileth fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740694/chapters/49278077) that i read a while ago.
> 
> [Title comes from here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlE2WQCGGZo) Enjoy!

It starts with a simple white flower waiting for him in his room in the Metaverse. Ren’s knowledge of flowers and plants is scarce at best, but the flower strikes him as something similar to a rose, its white petals curling and opening outwards from the yellowed middle. 

The flower in question lies innocently on his bed, a sharp contrast to his black sheets and overall dark decor. No one ever really comes into  _ his  _ room, so to think that someone strode inside just to drop this off amuses him a little. 

Ren looks around his room, just to be sure that no one is hiding behind a curtain or under his bed to prank him. As suspected, he’s alone. 

Gently, Ren takes the single flower in hand and weaves his way outside the building into the large courtyard of their shared residence. He passes by some other gods along the way, but doesn’t stop to chat, simply greeting them with slight nods of his head as he looks for his friends. For one of them in particular, one who might know what this means. 

He finds them sitting around a wrought iron table in the garden, the plants around it reacting to the presence of the Goddess of Spring and Love. Ryuji, the God of War and Conquest, opens yet another bottle of a frizzy human drink he enjoys, this one purple in color. Ann wrinkles her nose as he offers her some, the woven flower crown on her head quivering visibly to show her displeasure, and Ryuji shrugs as he passes the glass to Futaba instead. The Goddess of Navigation and Travellers quickly drinks it up. 

Makoto, the Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom, looks up from her own glass when she catches his muted steps on grass. “Good afternoon, Ren. Did you just arrive?” 

He nods, taking the last available seat between Ann and Ryuji. “Things in the underworld were hectic until last night.”

“I’m glad you could join us.” Haru, the Goddess of Fertility and Protection, smiles sweetly at him as she pours a third cup of tea, reaching across the table to set it in front of the God of Art and Music, Yusuke. “Did you have a safe trip?” 

“Yes, the portals worked just fine. Thanks for fixing the issue.” He directs the words to Futaba, who only salutes at him quickly before ducking her head to look at her tablet. “I have something for you, Ann.” 

Turning towards her, Ren lifts up the flower and watches as she chokes on her tea, the flower crown trembling terribly until a petal comes loose. Her cheeks quickly grow red, and Makoto rubs soothing circles on her back until the Goddess of Spring and Love calms down. Ren simply quirks a brow up at her reaction. By his side, Ryuji whistles and nudges him on the ribs with his elbow. 

“W-What is the meaning of this?” She asks with a gasp for breath, carefully sipping some of the tea to clear her throat. 

“That’s what I want to know.” He clarifies, twirling the bloom between two fingers. “This flower was in my room when I arrived. Do you happen to know what this means?”

“O-Oh. Right.” Ann presses a hand to her chest and uses the other to wipe her lips with a napkin. “That’s a gardenia, Ren. These flowers are very common in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia, among other places. They bloom from mid-spring to mid-summer and some of them are very scented. In the language of flowers, it means you’re lovely- o-or that someone thinks you’re lovely! It can also symbolize secret love.” 

Ren looks down at the flower, tuning out Ryuji and Futaba as they discuss who the mysterious admirer could be, and slips the gardenia into the pocket of his jacket. He gives Ann a grateful nod, to which she replies in kind before turning to talk to Haru. 

The flower crown on her head shivers throughout the rest of the afternoon. 

* * *

The second time it happens, a single red rose is resting on his pillow. It has been been a couple of days since the first flower was left in his room, and Ren hadn’t expected the person to strike again. 

It’s a more popular flower this time around, one that he might as well know the meaning from how overused it is during a certain time of the year, but still he ventures out of his room in search of Ann, who had mentioned in their group chat that she would be spending some time in the Metaverse today. 

He finds her lounging by the poolside with her best friend, the Goddess of Hardships and Health, both their feet splashing the water gently. Shiho is too much of a sweet girl to be stuck with that designation, but then again, her compassion and patience make her the perfect person to deal with the many prayers asking for help or a cure to an illness. 

Ren lets his steps announce his presence, his shadow falling over them as he comes to stop behind the duo. Ann tilts her head back to greet him, smiling wide, eyes concealed behind new heart shaped sunglasses. “Hey, Ren. What brings you here?” 

“Another one of these,” he says, holding up the flower. Shiho, who had mimicked Ann, ducks her head down to giggle into her palm. A loud rustle of leaves catches his attention, a bush of hibiscus shaking not too far to their right. 

Ann keeps her smile in place, but there’s something off about it. “Roses are perennial flowers. Did you know there are over three hundred species? The one you’re holding is called a garden rose, which is the result of different species mixed together. Roses have different meanings based on the occasion and their colors, but a single rose in full blooms means I love you.” 

Shiho snorts quietly into her palm, and Ann slaps her arm in retaliation. “Love, huh?” Ren muses, watching the flower as if it might tell him who left it in his room. “Thank you, Ann.”

“If you need more help, you can ask her-” Ann pushes Shiho into the water before she can say anything else. Ren watches in amused silence as the Goddess of Hardships latches onto her friend’s ankles and drags her into the pool as well. 

* * *

The third time it happens, Ren is back on the Metaverse to celebrate the birthday of one of his friends, Morgana, the God of Self-confidence and Power. None of them actually remember the day they were born so many long, long years ago, or the actual day they rose as gods, but still they like to celebrate for the fun of it. 

Morgana throws an impressive party, as to be expected, the largest room of the shared house decorated for the occasion with blues and gold, his favorite colors. Ren passes and greets the Goddess of Law and Judgement, accompanied by the God of Trials and Justice as they nurse their drinks by one of the large windows of the room, the balcony overlooking the gardens and the pool.

Nothing seems out of place until Ren reaches the table he is to share with his friends, none of which have returned just yet, and finds a cluster of flowers placed on his plate.

The blooms range from white to red with shades in between. It’s a bolder move after Ren was gifted only single flowers repeatedly these past weeks, and he glances around furtively to see if anyone is watching him, but no one seems to be paying him any mind.

Ren is intrigued, to say the least, about the true identity of his secret admirer. 

He picks up the arrangement of flowers and thumbs at one of the pale pink petals, now looking around with the intent of finding the one most versed in this matter. Ann is by the buffet table with Ryuji, her fingertips pressed to her lips whilst she appraises the cakes and sweets on display as their friend loads up his plate with meat. Her blue dress shimmers under the lightning, braided hair falling along the line of her spine with small blue blooms tucked in place artfully. Yusuke is likely the one responsible for it. 

“Chocolate or strawberry?” She asks him when he comes to stop beside her, eyes narrowing at the beautifully decorated sweets, all of them looking equally appetizing. 

Ren spares them a quick glance before looking at her concentrated face again. She always picks a bit of every option and comes back for seconds. Or thirds. “Both?”

“Ugh, that’s not an option anymore.” She lowers her empty plate with a disgruntled sigh and presses a palm to her flat stomach. “I have to watch my figure.”

“Still trying out that modeling gig with the humans?” He inquires, pursing his lips thoughtfully when she nods. “Chocolate, then.” 

Ann gives him a grateful smile and cuts a generous slice of a layered chocolate cake. The flowers in his hand sway with her excitement and eagerness, which reminds him exactly why he came after her. 

Ryuji joins them, a pile of smoked meats on his plate, when Ren lifts up the bouquet for Ann to see. “Woah, Ren! You couldn’t have picked a better setting to ask her out!”

Ann misses the aim as she’s shoving a bite of cake into her mouth, the icing smearing across her pinkened cheeks. The little blooms in her hair and the flowers in his hand shiver uncontrollably, reacting accordingly to her feelings. It’s most odd and peculiar that she reacts like this whenever he brings up the flowers. Interesting. Ren makes a note to analyze it further later. 

“These were on my plate at the table,” he clarifies. 

Ann frowns, wiping her cheek clean with her fingers. “These are camellias-” 

“Nope, not staying around for another botany lecture.” Ryuji speaks from around a chunk of meat and gives them a flick of his fingers as a salute. “Lemme know when you figure out who it is, though!” 

Ann groans and stabs her fork into her slice of cake as their friend marches away to feast on his food. “ _ As I was saying _ ,” she sighs, dropping her shoulders. “Camellias are commonly found in eastern and southern Asia. There are many species, and even more hybrids. In general, they mean admiration, perfection, and symbolize wishes of good luck. They’re also good gifts to give to a man.” 

Ren hums in contemplation. “And separately?” 

“White camellias symbolize adoration,” she touches said blooms, the petals ruffling from her caring, delicate touch. “Red symbolizes love, passion and deep desire. Pink symbolizes a longing for someone.” 

“I see...” He looks down at the flowers, watching how they thrill under her attention. “Thank you, Ann.” 

When her cheeks puff up as she smiles, he catches a smear of icing that she failed to clean earlier. Licking the pad of his thumb, he wipes her skin clean, feeling it blaze under his bare hand as her face goes red. The camellias he holds shake intensely until one of them goes bare, red petals falling by their feet. 

Very interesting, indeed.

* * *

The fourth time it happens, Ren is in his office in the underworld (the Velvet Room, as the Goddesses of Courage and Virtue, Caroline and Justine, like to call it), keeping tabs on the new souls that arrived that week when he spots something colorful from the corner of his eyes.

Contrary to popular belief, the underworld isn’t a barren land made of dark sand and dead trees. Everything is dark, yes, but the few bushes and trees that grow here are very much alive. They just don’t grow anything on them, not nuts or fruits, and definitely not flowers, especially not the bundle of them resting on a shelf. 

Being the God of the Underworld, not many wander into his domain willingly, so it is very surprising to find more red and pink flowers waiting for him in the Velvet Room of all places. 

Ren pushes his chairs closer to the shelf to inspect the gift closely. While the color scheme is much like the last one he got in Morgana’s birthday party, the flowers themselves are much different, notably the number of petals and their uneven, curled shape. Their sweet scent travels up his nose as he returns to his desk and picks up his phone. 

Ann hasn’t been around the Metaverse much since Morgana’s party. Ren can only hope he didn’t spook her too badly by cleaning her cheek that way, but he thinks it has to do with the weather on Earth. If he recalls correctly, this is one of the best times to visit one of her favorite places. 

She picks up on the fifth ring. A red scarf is loosely wrapped around her neck, hair falling in golden waves around her face. The scenery of Finland behind her is a stretch of different shades of green, evergreen trees reaching up to a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. 

“Hey, Ren!” She grins, walking through what appears to be a forest. “To what do I owe this call?” 

He lifts up the arrangement. “Another one of those.” 

It’s a shame she isn’t close by. From this distance, literally dimensions apart, the flowers aren’t influenced by her presence. Her lips twitching is as much of a reaction as he will get. He can’t even say that she’s blushing, for the cool Finnish winds have turned her cheeks pink a long time ago. 

With her all the way in Europe, and him in a plane not accessible to mortals, he wonders if she could ever find a way to make those materialize in his home. 

“Carnations,” she says, eyes focused on the unseen path she follows. “They have been extensively cultivated by humanity for over two thousand years. For us gods? Even longer.”

Ann stops and smiles at the camera, tapping the screen to flip the image around. She shows him the distant view from the top of a hill, a river of rich blue shades occupying the space between two mountains. A fjord, he realizes, one of the most beautiful sights on Earth. He’s heard it’s especially beautiful in person, and that the aurora borealis in the Scandinavian region is simply breathtaking. 

“Carnations symbolize fascination and divine love.” He can imagine her staring at the scenery with a distant look on her face. She lived in Finland once, so very long ago. “Red carnations symbolize admiration, but they can also mean ‘my heart aches for you’. Pink ones mean ‘I will never forget you.’”

There’s a moment of silence in which he hears the winds rushing past her, and also the quiet sound of her breathing. Ann sighs, tapping the screen and showing her face once more. “Need help with anything else? 

“N-No.” He clears his throat. Her eyes are even brighter and lighter in this light, her hair windswept. She looks- “Thank you.” 

“Anytime!” Ann waves and bids him goodbye, then hangs up. 

Ren places down his phone and leans back on his chair, lifting the arrangement up with both hands to smell the flowers. He thinks of Ann, and his heart throbs. 

* * *

It’s not unusual for gods to live among humans. In Yongen-Jaya, Tokyo, Futaba’s father owns a café. The God of Authority and Obedience, Sojiro, is cynical and aloof, but he cares for those around him deeply and has a deep interest in coffee. Nearby, the Goddess of Deep Changes and Regeneration owns a (illegal) clinic. 

The man in question is behind the counter as they enter Café Leblanc, pouring drinks into three cups. Futaba asked Ren to accompany her to one of the electronic shops in Akihabara, to which he complied without a fuss. Though a goddess herself, Futaba feels very uneasy around humans as they are often unpredictable when it comes to the divine, as seen when they found out the truth about her mother dozens of decades ago.

Ren slides onto one of the stools as Sojiro pushes the cups forward. “Found what you were looking for?” 

“Yeah. I got lucky, though.” Futaba picks up her hot chocolate and blows the drink to cool it. “There were so many people that wanted a copy of the game.”

Sojiro simply hums in response. He loves his adopted daughter, but he doesn’t know much about her hobbies to be able to hold a lengthy conversation. “Ah, before I forget. These are for you, Ren.” He jabs his thumb over his shoulder, pointing to a vase of tiny blue flowers, which are familiar to Ren, somehow.

“They’re still sending you flowers!?” Futaba exclaims, leaning on the counter to get a better look of the blooms as Sojiro brings it over. 

“This isn’t the first time, then?”

“First? He’s been receiving flowers for months!” 

Sojiro whistles and waggles his brows. “Hoo, boy. Got any idea who the secret admirer is?”

“No,” Ren replies calmly. It’s a lie, but they don’t know that. “Who sent these?”

“Ah, it was girl. She was about this tall-” he lifts his hand to shoulder height “- had brown hair and eyes. I think she said her name was Mika.”

“Mika!?” Futaba hisses, burning her fingers on her drink as it spills from her cup. “The Goddess of Envy and Manipulation?” 

“I really don’t know.” Sojiro wipes the counter where some of the chocolate fell when Futaba jostled in her seat. “She just said someone asked her to deliver them.” 

As both father and daughter speculate on the identity of the sender, Ren wonders who could even know Mika. She wasn’t a goddess that he kept in touch with, so figuring out her friend circle would be complicated, to say the least, but not impossible. 

Touching one of the small flowers with a yellowed middle, Ren thinks of braided blonde hair decorated with the same blooms. “Do you happen to know what these mean, Sojiro?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He crosses his arms over his chest. There’s an indecipherable look in his eyes as he regards the arrangement placed in the space between the three of them. “Forget-me-nots symbolize memories and true love.” 

The answer is short and straight to the point, and yet, Ren can’t help but miss the added details that Ann mentions before she starts on the language of flowers. How many species of these are there? Where does it come from? Is it perennial or any other complicated names that he barely remembers the meaning of?

He entertains the idea of calling her later just for the sake of it.

* * *

Christmas is one of the few human holidays that the gods in the Metaverse enjoy partaking in. Though the Metaverse lies stagnant in time, in a dimension where the weather is always mild, Igor, the one god that stands above the others, indulges them with a little magic, covering the grounds with snow. 

There’s food involved and more drinks than necessary, exchange of gifts made by humans or other mythical creatures, dancing, and lots of laughter. The room is loud with music and voices, and most of his group occupies some of the couches to the side, snacking and drinking and talking amongst themselves as the other gods dance the night away. 

From where he’s sitting, Ren can see Ann dancing with Shiho and a woman he doesn’t recognize. The blue dress and pearl necklace mean nothing to him, but her height and the color of her hair and eyes remind him of a conversation he had not too long ago in Café Leblanc.

Makoto is sitting with Sae and Akechi, deep in conversation. Yusuke invited Haru for a dance, noticing how she looked at the dancefloor wistfully, and now she teaches him a few moves. Ryuji is raiding the buffet table again. On the other couch, Futaba and Mishima, the God of Dreams and Inspiration, are discussing a newly released video game. Morgana is occupying the other end of the couch Ren is sitting on, ogling Ann as she dances.

That may prove to be a complication. 

It’s no secret to anyone that Morgana has been deeply infatuated (if not just horny, Ren doesn’t know) with Ann from the moment he saw her in the Metaverse for the first time. Even when she only smiled at Shiho, and seemed to barely tolerate Ryuji and Ren when Morgana dragged them with him to flirt with (pester) her, Morgana has been relentless. 

Ann wasn’t, and still isn’t, very fond of his advances, but she’s learned to ignore or shoot him down whenever he starts professing his love, but that doesn’t stop him. Morgana seems to think that she will fall for him once she witnesses his true power and how dashing and gallant he will look just then. He really is perfect for the role of God of Self-confidence; that, or he suffers greatly from a lack of self-awareness and common sense. 

Morgana has been one of his longest friends, along with Ryuji and Ann, and Ren doesn’t want to break his heart of make him sad, but- well, Ann  _ is  _ making advances towards him in her own ways, and throughout it all, that little flicker of attraction Ren felt when they first met and kept on nurturing all this time has been steadily growing into a raging fire. 

Ren leaves with the excuse of getting refreshments for himself. Morgana will be too busy looking at Ann to realize that Ren is making plans of following her as soon as she is done dancing with her friends. He walks past Sojiro’s table, who’s sitting with Tae, Munehisa, the God of Self-Sacrifice, and Toranosuke, the God of Happiness and Optimism. As he is sipping his drink, Sojiro points out his finger in the direction of the dancefloor, confirming that the girl in the blue dress is indeed the one who delivered the flowers. 

He never thought Ann could be friends with the Goddess of Envy and Manipulation, but, more importantly, it is the confirmation he needs that Ann is indeed  _ courting _ him. 

Nursing a drink on the other side of the room as he overhears the Goddess of Hope and Faith and the Goddess of Luck and Fortune conversing about some of their devout followers, Ren pushes himself from the wall the moment Ann takes a step back from her friends and says something he could never hope to overhear. He’s careful to follow her without being seen, especially by Morgana, and steps out into the balcony just as she’s sipping from a water bottle he grabbed on the way. 

A droplet glides down her chin and neck. Ren follows it with his gaze almost too intently. 

He makes his presence known, letting his steps be heard over the music streaming from inside the room. Ann spins around, her short, tight skirt enhancing the curves of her hips and the dip of her waist. Ren has to swallow to gather his wits. 

“Having fun?” He asks in lieu of a greeting, leaning onto the railing beside her. 

She fiddles with the bottle nervously. Her hair is down, somewhat damp and messy, and a single lily clings to the hair, tucked behind her ear. “Yes. It’s been a while since I’ve danced this much.” 

Ren watches Ann drink from the bottle again, her face flushed from exertion, brow furrowing when she realizes he’s not going to look away. She turns to the other direction for a brief moment, wipes her mouth dry before looking back at him again. “Do you... Need something?” 

“As a matter of fact, I do.” He slips his hand into his pocket and retrieves a simple green branch littered with leaves and white berries. “I was wondering what this is.” 

Ann frowns at the plant. “That’s a mistletoe. It’s a hemiparasitic plant, and some species can be really toxic, although some are used in treatments of certain illnesses as well.” 

Ren twirls the mistletoe branch innocently between his thumb and pointer finger. “I’ve heard it’s very popular with humans this time of the year.” 

Either because she’s tired from all the dancing or because she simply doesn’t know, which he doubts, Ann asks, “Really?”

“Oh, yes. It’s a custom for lovers to kiss under a mistletoe. Men are allowed to kiss any woman they want, and bad luck will befall on any woman who refuses, or so they say.” Still twirling the branch, Ren watches her face closely for a reaction. “There is a variation, too. It says that with each kiss, a berry has to be plucked from the mistletoe until all of them are removed, and then the kissing must stop.” 

“Well, yes,” she begins with a shrug. “Mistletoe symbolize affections and are a subtle way of saying-  _ Oh.” _

The bottle falls from her hands, spilling water by their feet. Stunned into silence, Ann stares at him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth as he lifts the mistletoe above their heads. With her wearing heels, she’s just the perfect height. 

“A subtle way of saying...?” He prompts when she remains quiet for too long. He can see her visibly swallowing.

“A... A subtle way of kiss me.” 

He chuckles inwardly at her stumble and dips his head, taking hold of her face with a gentle hand and bringing her closer, placing his lips on hers in a sweet, chaste, brief kiss. She’s blinking slowly, dazed, when he pulls back, her hands gripping his jacket for support. 

Ren looks up at the mistletoe. “Seems like this one has a lot of berries in it.” 

It takes some time, but the words finally register and her blue, hazy eyes flicker up to the plant above their heads. “So it does.” 

One of the berries spontaneously falls from the branch and their eyes meet. Ren places his hand on the curve of her waist and pulls her closer. “Guess we can’t stop while there are still berries in it.”

Ren lowers his mouth to hers again. This time, she returns the kiss.

* * *

Hawaii is a place Ren doesn’t visit often, though he’s been here before on a few occasions with his friends. It’s where he knows he will find Ann for certain, as she has a home in a pocket dimension near her favorite secluded beach. 

Ann has made herself scarce in the Metaverse since they kissed that night on the balcony. She had been extremely jumpy on the following days, and no one has ever really talked with her since then. Ren even reached out to Shiho, and later on to Mika, of all people, but they didn’t have much to offer him. 

“Spring is just around the corner again,” Mika said as she filed her nails, lounging by the poolside in a tiny bikini. “She’s likely preparing for it _. _ ”

Whether that is true or not, Ren knows she is here. Ann might spend quite some time roaming the world sight-seeing and taking odd jobs as a model for the fun of it, but she always returns to Hawaii, her home away from home, much like Ren always returns to the Velvet Room when he’s not in the metaverse. 

A little cabin is placed not too far from the sand, wild flowers littering the grass around it and swaying in the ocean breeze. Ann herself is standing at the shore, feet dipped in the water and dress fluttering about her as she watches the horizon, the sun making her loose hair gleam golden.

Ren keeps his hands behind his back as he approaches her, feet sinking in the soft sand as granules slip into his shoes. Uncomfortable, but he doesn’t stop. “I knew I’d find you here.” 

She starts, then whirls around to face him. “R-Ren? What are you doing here?” 

“I haven’t seen you in a while.” To no avail, she tries to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, but the wind whips it out of place again. “Something wrong with the Metaverse?”

“Not at all,” she says with a flick of her hand. “Just needed some time to myself before spring truly starts.” 

Ren nods, watching her closely. Though she shines like the sun itself in this beach, there’s something shuttered in her eyes, their color muted like he’s never seen before. There are shadows under her eyes, too, and she looks exhausted.

“I brought something.” He decides to cut to the chase, and Ann perks up slightly, looking tired but still giving him all of her attention. 

From behind his back, Ren reveals an arrangement of flowers. Being the God of the Underworld and spending much time there, he can’t really bring anything to actually grow in that place, so he made very frequent trips back to the Metaverse to check on the plants, and had Sadayo, the Goddess of Harmony and Temperance, look after them in his absence. Personally, he doesn’t find the flowers appealing, but they pass the message well.

Ann parts her lips to speak, but he silences her by lifting a hand. “Don’t worry, I researched. Ambrosias are flowering plants found in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, most notably North America. The pollen can cause some bad allergic reactions, and the species has become invasive in some areas.”

She nods slowly, smiling slightly. “Well done. That’s all correct.” 

“I have also seen it represents the love from one person to another.” 

“Yes, but that’s not all,” Ann nods. “There are many flowers that symbolize one-sided attraction, but ambrosias represent the love between two people.” 

“So, mutual love?”

“Yes...” Ann’s gaze flickers down to the flowers, bottom lip caught between her teeth. “Mutual love.” 

Seeing her reaction, or lack of thereof, Ren thinks he should have done this before pulling the mistletoe stunt. “Ann? These are for you.” 

With a sharp breath, she directs her wide eyes to his face, hands fisting the skirt of her dress. “Ren-”

“Thank you for all the flowers that you gave me.” He steps closer to her until the waves are lapping up at his shoes. “I’m sorry I took so long to realize and to act on it.” 

There are tears in her eyes and they spill unbidden as she blinks. Ann closes the distance between them to hide her face in his chest, grabbing fistfuls of the shirt he wears as her tears wet the fabric. Ren wraps his arms around her, the flowers in his grasp rejoicing as they sway and shake, affected by Ann’s own strong feelings. 

He kisses the crown of her head and rests his cheek on it, holding her as the sun begins its descent in the sky.

* * *

Ren stands under a red awning in Tokyo as he waits for Ann, a light rain falling over the city in early April. 

It’s common for gods to forget their own ages, birthdays and other relevant dates as time passes and months, years, decades, centuries all blend into one another, but Ren has been keeping tab of how long he and Ann have been together, how many days have passed since that sunny afternoon in Hawaii. 

All eighteen thousand, two hundred fifty days. All five hundred, ninety nine months and some. All fifty years.

Sounds like a long time, but to them it felt like a meagre five years for a normal human.

Ren touches his knuckles to the blush pink flowers in his grasp. Yusuke’s and Makoto’s diligence resulted in the largest, prettiest flowers for the occasion, which Haru wrapped up neatly in clear cellophane and white rice paper, then tied it all together with a pale pink ribbon.

His knowledge on the language of flowers has only increased over the years thanks to Ann, and he’s confident that he’s picked the right flowers. And in the off chance that he is wrong, then he hopes she will like them, at least. 

A figure appears from down the street, a hood over their head as they jog in his direction. They’ve been together for so long, have known each other for even longer, and that’s why Ren can easily recognize the curves and shapes he’s traced and kissed countless times before.

Being the God of the Underworld and the Goddess of Spring and Love means they spend much time apart, but it makes their reunion all the more sweeter. 

Ann steps under the awning and brushes away droplets of water that cling to her hoodie before pulling down the hood and letting her blonde locks fall free over her shoulders. She rises on her tiptoes to kiss him, and he keeps her pinned in place with a hand on her hip. 

“Are these for me?” She whispers, lips brushing his own. He smiles against her mouth, pressing one last kiss on it before taking a step back.

“Of course.” Peonies are, as it turns out, one of his favorite flowers. Ann holds her hands out to take them, but he refuses. “Care to tell me more about them?” 

She quirks an eyebrow, daring him for his audacity before complying. “Peonies bloom in late spring and early summer, their short blooming season lasting only a week, ten days at most. They’re native to Asia, Europe and Western North America, and are popular garden plants in temperate regions.” 

“Well done.” He rewards her with a kiss to her brow. “And what do they mean in the language of flowers?”

“There are many meanings. Riches and honor are some of them, as well as compassion, good fortune, prosperity and even bashfulness.” As she speaks, Ann plays with the lapels of his jacket, head tilted up to meet his gaze. “It can also symbolize romance and a happy marriage.” 

Ann releases the lapels when he moves his arms, placing the bouquet between them. She smiles softly when he caresses her face with the back of his hand, then looks down curiously as his fingers prod at the unfurling bloom at the center of the arrangement, pulling out a gold band from within. 

Ren lifts the ring to eye level, turning it this way and that so the solitary diamond can catch some of the dim sunlight. “About that happy marriage-” 

Ann silences him with a desperate, passionate kiss, pulling him down by the nape of his neck to slot their lips together. He brings her closer, flush against his body, and pulls away to kiss the tear tracks on her face. The petals of the arrangement flutter when their eyes meet, then tremble vigorously as he places the ring on her finger. 

Bringing her hand up to kiss it, Ren thinks of their shared bedroom in the Metaverse, their home in Hawaii, the flowers she made grow in the Underworld and that decorate his office in the Velvet Room. 

Ren kisses the top of her head and closes his eyes, savoring their first day of many more spent bound together in their shared immortality. 

**Author's Note:**

> Recurring themes in my shuann fics: Ren is stupidly in love with Ann, also he proposes, or they're already married
> 
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